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US-Iran meeting will be one to watch

The world will view Tillerson's meeting with Zarif with interest

Former US secretary of state John Kerry and Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Lausanne, Switzerland, during talks to reach a framework agreement on the Iran nuclear deal. Brian Snyder / AP

While Barack Obama's foreign policy legacy was largely shaped by the signing of the nuclear agreement with Iran in 2015, Mr Trump has adopted an aggressive approach as he seeks to unpick the deal. According to Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian president, “the only entity that can confirm Iran’s commitment to its obligations is the International Atomic Energy Agency and according to its reports, the Islamic Republic has complied with all of its obligations”. Preserving the agreement serves the interests of all parties, but this will clearly require a more subtle diplomatic approach by the Trump administration.

Furthermore, Iran’s interventionist foreign policy has unsettled the region’s stability only weeks after Mr Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia. The US is not the only party expected to work on safekeeping the deal. Iran’s policy in the Middle East has angered several of the signatories. The distrust that is at work in relations between and Iran and European signatories could complicate this week's interactions.